The Aged | Gyuhao (Sequel to Youth)

- 6

| Chapter Six — Maknae |

Riki's been silent recently.

It's not like he usually is, it's more of a silence due to lack of knowing what to say.

It's like he doesn't have anything to talk about, just his gobbled up thoughts chewing at his brain and making him go mute at times.

He's sitting on top of one of the bars in this place, cleaning the rim of a glass because there's seemingly nothing else to do.

Someone jumps up next to him. He doesn't realize it until they're speaking, "You okay?" The girl's name was Eunchae. Riki has to hold in a sigh.

He's always found her quiet annoying— After all, she was the reason he was babied all the time.

She's quite literally a whole year younger than him, yet, she gets treated more maturely. And he's still framed as the maknae.

"I'm sick of being babied." Is all Riki says, chunking the glass in the sink with a sigh. He thanks whoever's listening that it doesn't shatter.

Eunchae sways her feet back and forth, "Sorry," She says softly. Riki closes his eyes as she continues, attempting to mask his annoyance, "Us kiddos gotta stick together," She gently nudges his shoulder, chuckling.

Riki doesn't laugh.

"Sorry," Eunchae repeats, "I'm not good at comforting people."

"I can see that," Riki smacks his lips, avoiding any sort of eye contact.

"Have you told the others about your worries?"

"Of course, I have." Riki sighs, shrugging his shoulders, "It's exhausting. I constantly tell them that I want to do better— that I'm capable of doing so much more but no one will listen. Instead, I just get stuck getting beat up in the training room by the same person every single day."

"I'll talk to her." Eunchae frowns.

"Don't," Riki shakes his head, "I deserve it."

"She's not supposed to hit you that hard, though." Eunchae tells him, hissing slightly at the scab on his cheek, "I mean, call me cringey, but I don't want you to get hurt—"

"You of all people are babying me?" Riki scoffs, blinking his eyes harshly as he hops off the bar, "I'm so sick of this. You're a year younger than me and get treated like a damn princess."

"Hey," Eunchae shakes her head, "Cerise loves you. Everyone here loves you— There's no need to snap at me."

"I just—" Riki rolls his eyes, leaning against the wall, "I'm exhausted when I'm not even doing anything. Do you know what that feels like?"

Eunchae hops of the bar just a beat after Riki finishes talking, patting his shoulder in hopeful comfort, "Of course, I know what that feels like, sunbae." The honorific almost makes Riki chuckle, "You forget I spent my whole life in a children's home— waiting each and every day for a lovely couple to come and take me home with them and love me like I was there own." She sighs, "Just standing there— sitting there and waiting every single day for something to happen was one of the most exhausting things I've ever had to do. I'm glad I escaped that awful place," She says, shrugging, "And I know you don't seem too fond of me, but I'm glad I have someone from my generation to talk to."

"Hey, wait— come on," Riki frowns, "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Eunchae snickers, "You're talking to me about yourself and here I am trauma dumping all over you."

"Nah, it's helping." Riki smiles slightly, "And you're right— I'm not too fond of you sometimes, but you really do help me out every once and a while."

"I'm glad," Eunchae punches his chest a bit, Riki's back hitting the brick wall gently, "It's good to finally have a friend my age again."

Riki nods, "Yeah."

"Besties for the resties?" Eunchae holds out her pinkie, wiggling it back and forth.

Riki snorts, "Isn't this a bit much?"

"Oh, come on— let's make a pact!" Eunchae hooks her finger around Riki's before he can even make a move, "Let's vow to come to talk to each other like this again if things ever get tough, yeah?"

Riki rolls his eyes, "This is ridiculous." He twists their pinkies, "But, fine."